Eisenhower's Aide Sherman Adams Dies

October 28, 1986|By Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON — Sherman Adams, who resigned as President Dwight Eisenhower's chief White House aide in 1958 after accepting a vicuna coat and other gifts from a friend who was having problems with the government, died Monday.

Adams, 87, died at a Hanover, N.H., hospital of respiratory complications.

Until his resignation, Adams, a former Republican governor of New Hampshire, was the second most powerful figure in the executive branch of the government. In fact, almost no one saw Eisenhower unless the appointment was approved by Adams.

In 1958 a House Commerce subcommittee investigating the functioning of federal regulatory agencies found Adams had contacted some of those agencies regarding the business problems of a friend, millionaire industrialist Bernard Goldfine of Boston.

Furthermore, the Democrat-controlled subcommittee learned that Goldfine had given Adams a vicuna coat, loaned him an expensive Oriental rug and paid some hotel bills for him.

Adams acknowledged making the calls for Goldfine and accepting the gifts, but he insisted there had been no influence peddling.

Appearing before the House subcommittee June 17, 1958, Adams swore under oath he had a ''clear conscience.''

As for the vicuna coat, worth about $700, Adams said it was made at one of Goldfine's mills for $69. ''I accepted this gift in the same spirit in which he accepted, many years ago, a gold watch from me,'' Adams said.

Though no wrongdoing was ever found, Republicans warned of the party losing seats in the upcoming election while Democrats built a major political case. Finally, on Sept. 22, 1958, Adams resigned, reportedly at the request of Eisenhower. Adams said later he quit to spare any embarrassment to Eisenhower but insisted his pride and honor were intact.